Drawer pull



R. A. BENOIT 3,098,686

DRAWER PULL Filed March 1'7. 1961 July 23, 1963 INV EN TOR.

Roland Benoit Marcfi am! Cari As 5- ATTORNEYS:

United Sates This invention relates to drawer pulls for the drawers of desks, cabinets and the like, and more particularly to recessed type pulls wherein no protruding parts or portions are involved.

An objectof the invention is to provide a greatly simplified novel and improved, recessed-type drawer pull which is attractive and of practical construction and is extremely effective in its operation, being both easy to use and pleasing to the touch.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved drawer pull in accordance with the foregoing, which is easily removable when this should be desired, as for the purpose of refinishing the pull or the equipment in which it is installed.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved drawer pull as above outlined, which is extremely simple and inexpensive to produce.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a novel one-piece drawer pull, constituted of sheet material such as sheet metal or the like, which has the above advantages and characteristics.

A feature of the invention resides in the provision of a simplified, one pieoe drawer pull which is capable of easy and quick assembly to the equipment, as by a snapin assembly operation.

Another feature of the invention resides in the provision of an improved drawer pull as above set forth, which is sturdy in its construction, extremely serviceable, and so constituted as to have a long, useful life.

Yet. another feature of the invention resides in the provision of an improved drawer pull as characterized, which is not susceptible of becoming loose in or dislocated from the equipment in which it is incorporated.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a novel drawer as above set forth, which is attractive in appearance and has a facing portion constituting an attractive item oftrim for the equipment. 7

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the drawings accompanying this specification, similar characters of reference are used to designate like components or portions throughout the several views, in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a desk or cabinet having a drawer in there is installed the present improved drawer pull.

FIG. 2 is a vertical fragmentary section taken on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

'FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the drawer pull per se.

Referring now specifically to the figures, the new and improved drawer pull is shown as installed in the front wall .10 of a drawer 12, in FIGS. 1 and 2. The drawer 12 may be part of a cabinet or desk 14 shown in fragmentary perspective view in FIG. 1.

For the purpose of receiving and accommodating the improved drawer pull, which is indicated generally by the numeral 16 in FIG. 3, the drawer front in accordance with the present invention has a recess or cavity 18, shown as being of rectangular outline. As seen in FIG. 2 the drawer front 10 com-prises a box section having a front wall 20, a rear wall 22, and top and bottom walls 24 and 26 respectively. As shown the box section is rectangular and the front wall 20 thereof as provided by the invention has inwardly extending narrow flanges 30 and 32 along the upper and lower edges respectively of the opening or recess 18. Also, the drawer front 10 preferably has relatively wide side flanges 34 extending inward from the two opposite side edges of the recess or cavity 18. All of the flanges 30, 32 and 34 may be struck from the material of the front wall 20', as may be readily understood. Or, separate pieces may be secured at the opposite sides of the cavity 1-8 instead of the side flanges 34, such pieces being secured to the drawer front in any suitable manner. As a further alternative, the side pieces or flanges 34 may be dispensed with entirely, since the drawer pull 16 will still retain its utility although a closed effect of the cavity would be lost.

By the present invention, in conjunction with the cavity 18 and upper and lower flanges 30, 32 thereof there is provided the novel one-piece drawer pull member, indicated by the numeral 16 in FIG. 3, having a number of important advantages. The member 16 may be economically fabricated, and may be quickly and easily assembled to the part by a quick, snap-in operation, being further easily removable to facilitate later refinishing or other similar servicing operations. Further, the drawer pull member r16 is effective and practical, as well as has a novel facing portion exposed at its top edge, which constitutes an attractive trim for the equipment. The drawer member 16 is effective and practical, as well as being sturdy, serviceable and having a long, useful life. In spite of the quick and easy assembly, there is an absence of looseness in the assemblage, which heretofore has been a source of annoyance to users.

Accordingly, referring to the figures, the drawer pull member 16 is shown as comprising a resilient formed sheet having a main body portion 38 including an expansive back wall 40 and top and bottom walls 42 and 44- respectively, which are attached to or joined with the back Wall 40. The top and bottom walls 42, 44 extend forward from the back wall 40 and are located opposite each other, the top wall 42 sloping downward and forward and having a front facing wall-portion 46 extending upward from the foremost part of the top wall, as clearly seen in FIGS. 2 and 3. As seen especially in FIG. 2, the top and bottom walls are substantially parallel with each other, the bottom wall also extending downward and forward from. the back wall 40. In this figure the three walls 40, 42 and '44 are shown as having a cross section somewhat in the shape of a hook, the sheet constituting the said walls being generally curved to effect this shape.

The back wall 4d of the drawer pull member 16 is engaged with the back wall 22 of drawer front 10, and continual pressure exists between the engaging parts as will be later brought out, for the purpose of eliminating any tendency to looseness of the drawer pull.

In accordance the invention, the drawer pull mem ber 16 further has upper and lower, rearwardly extending mounting clips 50- and 52 respectively, the upper mounting clip 50 being joined to the facing wall portion 46 and the lower clip 52 being joined to the foremost edge of the bottom wall 44 of the member.

The resilience of the formed sheet comprising the drawer pull member 16 enables the above wall portions to flex in a manner to move closer to each other the up per and lower mounting clips 50, 52 and this action is utilized in effecting the quick, snap-in assemblage of the drawer pull member 16 to the drawer front 10.

From FIGS. 2 and 3 it will be seen that the mounting clips comprise rearward extending, substantially horizontal portions 56 and 58, together with vertically extend-ing detent portions 60 and 62 whereby the clips constitute angle sections.

In assembling the drawer pull 1-6 to the drawer front its operative position with the rearwardly extending flange 30 of the drawer front, the lower mounting clip 52 being disposed forwardly of the lower portion of the. cavity 18. Then the drawer pull member 16 may be flexed or compressed to enable the lower mounting clip 52 to be passed over and to the rear of the lower flange 32 of the drawer front. Thereafter, release of the drawer pull member 16 while maintaining a proper rearward pressure on the lower portion thereof will cause the lower mounting clip 52 to operatively engage the flange 32, as clearly seen in FIG. 2.

Removal of the drawer pull member 16 may be eifected by simply reversing generally the above procedure. By the use of a suitable sharp, flat tool the lower mounting clip 52 may be raised and disengaged from the lower flange 32 of the drawer front =10, whereupon the resilience of the drawer pull member will cause the lower portion therof, including the mounting clip 52 to shift forwardly of the drawer front, enabling the pull member to be easily removed.

It will be understood that when the upper and lower mounting clips 50, 52 are operatively engaged with the flanges 30, 32 of the drawer front ill the drawer pull member will be under continual stress and will be flexed somewhat by virtue of the back wall 40' being forced slightly forward due to its engagement with the back wall 22 of the drawer front 10. Accordingly, a continuous tension and pressure exists on the drawer pull member 16, preventing any looseness whatsoever.

It will be readily seen from FIG. 2 that the facing wall portion 46 makes an acute angle with the top wall 42 of the drawer pull member. Accordingly, the user is provided with a secure and comfortable gripping edge in the top wall 4-2 by virtue of the angular disposition of the same, thereby enabling a considerable force to be exerted in opening the drawer, if this should be required.

From the foregoing it will now be seen that there has been provided by the present invention a simple, onepiece, inexpensive yet effective and desirable drawer pull member having advantages as enumerated above in detail. Where the drawer pull member 16 is formed of metal, it may be finished to correspond to the color scheme of the equipment, and if desired the front facing portion 46 may be nickel or chromium plated or otherwise appropriately finished to provide an attractive and ornamental trim which is adapted to blend well with various styles of equipment and finishes.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of the claim, and portions of the improvement may be used without others.

What is claimed is:

In combination with a drawer having a drawer front, said drawer front includingspaced substantially parallel front and rear wall portions, said front wall of said drawer front having a drawer pull cavity therein, and said cavity being defined by upper and lower rearwardly extending flanges,

(a) a drawer pull formed of a resilient sheet material adapted to be recessed in said cavity,

(b) said drawer pull including a main body having an expansive back Wall that is curvilinear in crosssection,

(c) a top wall, and

(d) a bottom wall attached to and extending forwardly from said curvilinear back Wall and located opposite each other,

(e) said top wall sloping downwardly and forwardly from said back wall at an acute angle relative said back wall, V

(1'') said body portion further comprising a facing wall extending upwardly from the foremost part of the top wall,

(g) and an upper and lower rearwardly extended mounting clip joined to said facing wall portion and the foremost end of said bottom wall respectively,

(h) each of said clips including a rearwardly extending substantially horizontal portion and a vertically extending detent portion disposed normal to the respective horizontal clip portion,

(1) the resiliency of said formed sheet enabling said back wall to be flexed in a manner to move said mounting clips closer to each other to facilitate insertion of the drawer pull into the drawer front cavity shaped to receive the same whereby the horizontal portions of the respective clip: members upon release of the flexing force are biased against the upper and lower flange of said cavity,

(j) said vertical :detent portions retaining said drawer pull in position said cavity and,

(k) said back wall of said pull drawer being disposed in engagement with said rear wall of the drawer front to maintain a positive and continued pressure on said drawer pull so as to minimize any tendency of the drawer pull to loosen.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,771,627 Hammer Nov. 27, 1956 2,793,386 Muhlhauser May 28, 1957 2,804,136 Ternes Aug. 27, 1957 

